CBD Journal with Rhode Island’s Mike Le Bel (April 26th)

I would like to start out by saying that, on behalf of the Rhody Baseball team, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by the Boston Marathon bombings, as well as the explosion that recently occurred in Texas.

Having grown up just south of Boston in Quincy, Mass., it goes without saying that I love that city and always enjoy playing games up at Northeastern and Boston College. But there was something different about last Tuesday’s game at BC. Being in Boston just one day after the Marathon and seeing the flag fly at half staff – just a few miles from the finish line – was kind of surreal. Watching the Bruins’ pregame ceremony at The Garden the next night was equally emotional, but it also was one of those moments that made you proud to be a Boston fan.

When you think about sports, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Easy to just focus on the next game, or the upcoming rivalry. Too often, we look past the beauty of sports and the fact they really bring people together.

For those who have never experienced Marathon Monday, it may be difficult to understand just how much this event means to the city of Boston, the state of Massachusetts and New England as a whole. In the days following the Marathon, it has been amazing to watch the support that the city of Boston has received from sports teams from around the country.

In my mind, the support from the New York Yankees said it all. Considered to be the biggest rivalry in baseball – and one of the biggest in all of sports – its no secret that Yankees and Red Sox fans aren’t very fond of the other city’s ball club. But in a time where we needed to come together as one nation, a gesture as simple as playing Sweet Caroline went a long way in the hearts of Red Sox fans.

It’s moments like this that help solidify the reason why we all watch or play sports; it’s for the love of the game. Regardless of where you are from, who you root for or what team crushed your playoff dreams time and time again in October – the love of the game is something that’s so much bigger than any one individual. It’s what brings us together. And it’s what keeps us together.

Brian Foley is the founder and Lead Editor of College Baseball Daily since its inception in 2005.

He has covered two CWS, multiple NCAA Baseball Regionals, and other special events across the country. In addition to his duties with College Baseball Daily, he has covered games for Inside Lacrosse and been featured in USA Today, Wall Street Journal among other publications.

He can be contacted by email at editor at collegebaseballdaily.com and followed on Twitter @BFoley82.